Heroes of Might and Magic V

A turn-based strategy game for the thinker. It's the journey, not the destination.

Turn based strategy games are a bit of a niche market, wedged somewhere between the Nikki Webster Activity Center and Paint with Pooh Bear. Many consider them to be old hat, preferring the fast paced action of real time strategy.

But if one were to take the time to look, gold can be found. Indeed, one such nugget from the past is Heroes of Might and Magic III. After nearly seven years and countless hours of gameplay, it’s still a classic time waster. Yes, we know that the graphics are a tad dated, but it’s the gameplay that makes it. If you are unfamiliar with the series, Heroes of Might and Magic (HOMM) is a typical fantasy strategy game.

The fact that it is turn-based will probably cause many hardcore gamers to snub it. However, good turn-based games allow more contemplative and thoughtful gameplay to take place, a remarkably pleasant change compared to the hectic, cut throat pace of RTSes. Consider it more like a chess game than a frantic race for victory.

In 2002, HOMM IV was released to an eager fanbase. Although reviews rated it highly, many gamers felt that developers 3DO had somehow lost the feel of the game. Fast forward to now and we have a new developer and a new game. Ubisoft are releasing the long awaited HOMM V.

If you’re a fan of HOMM III, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. HOMM V is essentially the same game. It differs enough from HOMM III to make it an exciting journey of discovery as you learn what helps and hinders your campaign. Graphics have understandably been upgraded with the entire game taking advantage of modern graphics processors. Landscapes are lush and beautiful and set at maximum can really tax a high end system.

HOMM V puts you in charge of one of six factions, all with their own strengths and weaknesses. In order to mount a successful campaign you’ll have to groom and develop at least one hero, build your castle, explore the land, manage resources and assemble an army of creatures that would make Dr. Moreau’s efforts look positively pathetic.

Like any true strategy game worth its salt, learning to balance all of these skills is half the fun. Your strategies will differ wildly depending on the missions you embark upon or the foes that you face. HOMM V manages to provide enough depth and variation throughout its lengthy campaign mode to satisfy even the most demanding of gamers. In addition to the campaign, there are single player missions and the all important multiplayer option, all of which adds legs to an already great game.

Hero development is very restricted compared to traditional RPGs, but as the focus of the game is more towards overall tactics, it doesn’t detract from the experience. When your Hero levels up you will be given a choice of new skills, with each acquired skill giving you a selection of ‘abilities’. Unfortunately there’s a certain amount of luck involved with this as you can only choose from a limited selection each time.

The castles are something special. Full 3D masterpieces that tower into the sky and defy your sensibilities. You’ll never get lost because a great set of menus allow easy navigation. A colour-coded building map enhances and simplifies construction by allowing you to plan the optimum build path with what resources you have at hand.

Combat has undergone a similar makeover, with the ubiquitous 3D imagery adding some eye candy to the battleground. You can make the most of this using the rotating view and zooming in on the action. Every hero gets a handy tactics mode at the start of a battle so you can arrange your units into optimum position. The turn based combat is a complex affair with luck and morale affecting the attack order of units, which is conveniently listed at the bottom of the screen. There are combat animations, but these are basic and largely useless. Thankfully they can be turned off using the extensive options page.

Other general highlights include hotkeys for just about everything, although the excellent menus make these largely redundant. There are cut scenes to keep the storylines flowing and although they are uninspiring, they do add to the overall experience. Keep your eyes open for the odd random spot of humour!

Especially nice is being able to minimise the game and multitask. Listen to MP3s, browse the internet and chat on MSN mid game. Try doing that with BF2!

The game is not perfect, with a few niggling things that will get on your nerves. Top of the list is the dreadful music. We’ve heard some bad soundtracks before, but this one takes the cake. Another audio annoyance is the sound that is produced when the mouse pointer is on an interactive area. Moving the mouse around the screen produces a sound like an insane dwarf on acid playing the bongos. Grrr!

Overall though it’s an excellent game. A truly worthy addition to the prestigious HOMM lineage. If Ubisoft mimic 3DO and produce a mass of quality add on packs, they will have a sure fire winner on their hands.